Just like your favourite foods, your favourite wine is one of personal choice. However, deciding on what you want can be trickier than expected. From every variety of red, from smooth to bold – to dry or sweet whites, sparkling or rosé – the choices can leave you scratching your head. Taking the time to understand some of the differences between red and white wine should help you make a more informed choice, particularly as you narrow it down to a certain varietal of red or white. Whether you’re ordering a glass for yourself or purchasing a bottle for entertaining, here’s what you need to know when selecting the right drop.
When learning about the difference between wines, you first need to know a bit about wine grapes, as it’s the grape variety that lends to the different flavour profiles of your red and white wines.
As you’d expect, red wines like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Shiraz get their amazing colour from red grapes, specifically, the skins which are included in the fermenting process to turn grape juice red. Red wine grapes can either have thin or thick skins, which indicates the resulting wine and its colour intensity. For instance, the Shiraz grape has a thick skin with a deep red purplish hue, resulting in a dark crimson wine, whereas Pinot Noir grapes are thin-skinned, resulting in a lighter colour red!
For your white wine grape varietals like Riesling, Semillon, or Pinot Gris, the juice of the grapes are pressed from the skins and the skins discarded before the fermentation process begins, so only the grape juice itself ferments. White grapes often vary in colour from pale yellow and yellowish gold to pale green.
Red wines are robust with different flavour intensities, from deep and complex to light and smooth. Varying levels of tannins develop in the fermenting process for different varieties of red wine due to the grape variety and the thickness of their skins, hence why there are light-bodied, medium-bodied, and full-bodied red wines. Red wines may taste dry with hints of plum and spicy undertones, bright and bold with red and dark fruit flavours from cherries to blackberries or restrained and gentle on the palate with hints of blueberry.
While red wines are about the tannins, white wines are about the acidity. This is what gives them their crisp and sharp flavours, with some white wines being light and dry for easy drinkability or bold and dry when the occasion calls for it. Other white wines can be sweet and fruity with varying intensities of citrus or stone fruits and hints of floral.
Keep in mind that the flavour of certain wines gets better with age, so keep an eye out for ones that are designed to be cellared in your wine cabinet, allowing your wine collection to reach its full potential.
The wine you pair with your meal can enhance or limit certain food's flavours. When pairing foods and wines together, always remember broadly how white or red wine may go with the intensity of the flavours of the food you'll be consuming
Full-bodied red wines such as a Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon pair greatly with robust and flavoursome rich meat dishes like steaks, stews and casseroles, while lighter red wines like Merlot or Pinot Noir pair nicely with Mediterranean foods or a grazing board of cheeses and cured meats.
Dry white wines have the right acidity to team particularly well with white protein such as fish, chicken, a delicious seafood marinara or any dessert, while an aromatic Moscato with balanced acidity works nicely to cut through a spicy Thai dish.
Some of the best and most popular red wines in Australia include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz. These wines offer incredible practicality and versatility to suit various dishes and occasions, whether it’s a casual get-together or more of a fine dining experience.
Our award-winning red wines at De Bortoli embody the region they hail from – from the Yarra Valley to King Valley to the Riverina, Heathcote and more – every bottle is unique, masterfully and carefully created for your maximum drinking pleasure. Whether it’s a soft yet expressive wine like the Re-write the Rules Pinot Noir with fragrant red and dark fruits and a little spice, or a bright and sophisticated Yarra Valley The Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon with cassis, black fruits and some leafy notes, your next drop is guaranteed to be flavourful and elegant.
For something a little outside the box, our Sparkling Red, the Woodfired Heathcote Sparkling Shiraz, has received multiple accolades for its bold and delicate balance of sweetness with plums and spice – perfect for those mild evenings. Meanwhile, our highly-coveted La Boheme Cuvee Rose combines Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and more – a stunning creation to be enjoyed on a hot summer’s day.
Australian white wines are some of the best in the world. They are deliciously crisp and refreshing, and although they are mostly consumed over the summer months, they still have their place at the table year-round alongside a savoury or sweet dish.
De Bortoli white wines encapsulate the essence of the vineyard from which they are derived, with a sense of character and charm and premium quality captured in every bottle. A good, crisp white wine like the De Bortoli Deen Vat 2 Sauvignon Blanc has an acidic profile,accentuating its flavour more so with its kiwi fruit, green melon, and passionfruit characters. Meanwhile, the La Bohème Act One Riesling is an excellent pairing with fish thanks to its balanced acidity.
Our other white wine classics include Chardonnay, Semillon, Pinot Grigio and Moscato. A good Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio goes great with a seafood dish, while a Semillon like the De Bortoli Noble One with opulent layers of stone fruit, and tangy citrus, lending itself well to enjoy with a cheese platter or berry tart. To enjoy on its own or with a fruit platter, the multi-award-winning De Bortoli Petit Moscato is lively and fresh with delicious fresh fruit aromas.
Ultimately there’s no victory in the battle of red vs white wine: each has its place! So, the best wine for you – whether it be red or white – will depend on what your palate favours, which foods you may be having, the season, the occasion and so on. However, keeping an open mind is helpful in the pursuit of finding the best red or white wine for you.
Hopefully, now that you’ve gained some basic knowledge on the differences between red and white wines, you can now confidently answer this all-important question at your next get-together: “Red or white?”.
Whether it is for a gourmet feast, a backyard barbeque or a picnic with friends, we have quality red and white wines for every occasion. Shop our range of De Bortoli wines today for all the white wines, red wines, bubbly, and popular wine blends for your next adventure!
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